Mind Sports South Africa's (MSSA) blog on competitive gaming in South Africa from proto-computer gaming all the way through to the most modern. For more about MSSA go to: https://www.facebook.com/mindsportssa/
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Wednesday, 27 January 2016

Finnish Ministry of Culture and Education released the grant amounts for national youth work organizations on January 25th. New Minister of Culture and Education Sanni Grahn-Laasonen has granted total of 3.2 million euros for total of 55 national youth work organizations for fiscal year 2016.

Finnish eSports Federation (SEUL) was once again one of the ten largest beneficiaries placing 9th this year, receiving 83 000 euros which meant 15 000 euro raise in the grant amount compared to the last year. 2016 is fourth year in a row in which Minister of Culture and Education has approved a grant for the national eSports Federation.Finnish ex-pro player begins coach training

Finnish ex-pro StarCraft 2 player Samuli “elfi” Sihvonen has been accepted for coach training in Vierumäki campus of The Sport Institute of Finland. Sihvonen begins his yearlong course on 17th of February and aims to be the first professional e-sports coach.

“During my player career I noticed that coaching would be really beneficial especially on the mental side of the sports. Currently there are no Finnish e-sports coaches so after ending my player career I started to think if I could become one. My goal is to give better possibilities for new rising stars with support that I was missing.” commented Sihvonen.

Finnish eSports Federation supports Sihvonen with a stipend that covers the cost of the coach training course and aims to use this training as a pilot program to find out valuable information how traditional sports training can be implemented in e-sports.

“Samuli’s application was noticed immediately when it arrived and we are really excited about the possibilities and views e-sports could bring with it.“ commented training center deputy director Raino Nieminen from Vierumäki.

Sihvonen’s player career started in mid-2000’s and became known as a world class StarCraft 2 player. During his career he represented such organizations as Fnatic, Team Acer, ENCE eSports and Vega Squadron. Sihvonen was awarded as “The Player of the Year 2012” by Finnish eSports Federation.

Before applying for the coach training Sihvonen has organized two weekend-long StarCraft 2 training camps and has engaged in personal training of younger players. Camps organized in December 2014 and February 2015 received overwhelmingly positive feedback and reception.

Monday, 25 January 2016

First there was South Africa, then Namibia, which was quickly
followed by Egypt, Zimbabwe, and Tunisia that created National
eSports Federations.

However, now there is Ghana under the leadership of the ever
energetic Ebenezer Kwesi Hayford.

The Ghanaian eSports Association, which is only one-year old and
based in the city of Accra, has already successfully applied for
membership of the Confederation of African eSports (CAeS) and is
hoping to be accepted into membership of the International eSports Federation (IeSF) later this year.

With the inclusion of Ghana into CAeS, eSports takes another step
forward to be included in the All African Games and further helps
create a greater awareness of eSports as a fully accredited sport
among African states.

The addition of yet another African State will also further help
Africa compete on a wider international level.

Saturday, 23 January 2016

TELKOM has pushed
in a huge cash injection of one million Rands (R1,000,000.00)
into the Digital Gaming League for the game title of CounterStrike:
GO and DotA 2.

This is a huge development in gaming in South Africa
as it further emphasises the growth and continuing popularity of
eSports in South Africa.

The growth of eSports should
be of no surprise to anyone. eSports is probably one of the most
accessible sports to the public, and in spite of the initial cost of
hardware, still one of the most cost effective sports in which a
person can partake.

Thus the growth of eSports in South
Africa can clearly be seen at school level, where Mind Sports SouthAfrica's official league is showing exponential growth as schools
clamber to get on board.

The growing number of gamers, and
the resulting increase in competitiveness, has meant that South
Africa can hold its head high in international competition.

South
Africa's current ranking by the International eSports Federation is
at 12th place due to the MWEB Protea eSports team that participated in the IeSF's 7th World Championships - Seoul.

Thursday, 21 January 2016

From
the day that MSSAstarted
in 1985, it was MSSA's intention to get players overseas for the
various disciplines for which it is the custodian.

Even
as early as 1991, even though the sports moratorium was in place,
MSSA tentavely started sending teams to international events.
However, when the sports moratorium was lifted in 1994, MSSA started
to aggressively send teams overseas for wargames, checkers, draughts,
and morabaraba.

However,
it was not until 2005 that MSSA started to send eSports teams
overseas.

South Africa is proud to have produced the following WORLD
CHAMPIONS, being;

Period

Year

Name

Club

Ancients – Men

2012
2013
2014
2015

Eugene Burger
Colin
Webster
Colin Webster
Colin Webster

Maritzburg Christian
College
Old Edwardian Wargames Club
Old Edwardian
Wargames Club
Old Edwardian Wargames Club

Ancients – Women

2006
2007
2014

2015

Bernice Ligault
Bernice
Ligault
Elishia Retief
Elishia Retief

Old Edwardian Wargames
Club
Old Edwardian Wargames Club
Old Edwardian Wargames
Club
Old Edwardian Wargames Club

Monday, 18 January 2016

MSSA takes international eSports events seriously, and
international events take MSSA seriously in return.

Thus after participating in 33 international eSports events since
2005, South Africa is currently ranked as 13th in the world by the
International eSports Federation (IeSF).

Every year there are also refinements to the National Team Trials in
order to produce a more competitive team while balancing the
development of the skills base of the team with the development of
players in terms of the national priorities of the country.

To better prepare the team, MSSA's Management Board has agreed to
hold 'Trials' for its eSports Team on 4 June 2016 to allow for
better training and preparation ahead of the grueling international
competition that awaits the 2016 Protea eSports Teams.

Saturday, 16 January 2016

From the day that the MSSA started in 1985, it was MSSA's intention to get players overseas for the various disciplines for which it is the custodian.

Even as early as 1991, even though the sports moratorium was in place, MSSA tentavely started sending teams to international events. However, when the sports moratorium was lifted in 1994, MSSA started to aggressively send teams overseas for wargames, checkers, draughts, and morabaraba.

However, it was not until 2005 that MSSA started to send eSports teams overseas as the following schedule will demonstrate:

Tuesday, 12 January 2016

"Is it possible for a team to affiliate with MSSA alone and not my whole team? in other words, may my team affiliate and not my whole organisation?"I presume from the question, that the writer runs several teams.
If that is the case, then the following scenario may be possible:
Let's presume that there are two teams where one team is not willing to affiliate to MSSA and the other is willing to affiliate.
The team that is willing to affiliate thus constitutes itself as a club and affiliates where the other doesn't.
The issue then really depends on what sort of structure in which the two teams operate, and whether the structure of the team management allows that to happen.

Monday, 11 January 2016

The following question was received:"Is it possible for a team to affiliate with MSSA alone and not my whole team?"I presume from the question, that you run several teams.
If that is the case, then the following scenario may be possible:
Let's presume you run two teams where one team is not willing to affiliate to MSSA and the other is willing to affiliate.
The team that is willing to affiliate thus constitutes itself as a club and affiliates where the other doesn't.
The issue then really depends on what sort of structure in which the two teams operate, and whether the structure of the team management allows that to happen.

Sunday, 10 January 2016

"I really want to play for the national team. I realise that it is my only chance to go overseas and be noticed. Unfortunately my team owner (redacted) has signed a contract with its sponsors that forbids me and all other team members to play for a team that is not sponsored by that sponsor. The team owner also refuses to allow the team to take part in MSSA events".

Well, this is a very complex legal issue.

If the team owner has signed a contract with the team's sponsors that the team members may only play for a team sponsored by such sponsor, then, short of resigning from such team, the player concerned will not be able to play for the national team if such sponsor does not also sponsor the national team as well.

Also, if the team owner does not want his team to participate in MSSA events, that is his choice entirely.

However, why anyone would play for such a team is beyond me as the players will be forfeiting many opportunities and limiting their own futures.

Players need to look at their opportunities in both the short-term and the long-term.

However, it must be noted that a team that is 'owned' by any one individual would not be able to affiliate to MSSA.

MSSA is a non-profit organisation, and only other non-profit organisations may affiliate to MSSA.

Of course is a player is playing for an organisation that is other than a non-profit organisation, it could also then be argued that the player is employed by such owner/company. It such a case the Basic Employment Act would apply and the players would be entitled to all sorts of benefits -- including a salary.